1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic image pickup apparatus, and in particular, to an electronic image pickup apparatus capable of saving images taken in a plurality of continuous scenes as a group of images associated with each other.
2. Related Art Statement
Japanese Patent Application No. 8-212733, which was filed by the present applicant, can be exemplified as related art in which an image pickup lens and an exposure adjusting mechanism to change an amount of an aperture for adjusting exposure operate while interlocked with each other.
Thus, in this Japanese Patent Application No. 8-212733, an exposure controller is described, the controller which comprises an image pickup lens for forming a subject image on an image plane, a plurality of restrictions that have aperture spaces different from each other and are inserted in an optical path of the image pickup lens or an aperture plate having the restrictions and an aperture opening section, a diaphragm drive mechanism for driving the aperture plate in conjunction with exposure control so that the center of the plurality of restrictions may move along a predetermined locus, a shutter blade capable of closing the restrictions or the aperture opening section, and a shutter open/close mechanism for driving the shutter blade separately from the diaphragm drive mechanism and for adjusting exposure time to the image plane. After the diaphragm drive mechanism selects one of the plurality of restrictions having aperture spaces different from each other or the aperture opening section, the shutter open/close mechanism moves the shutter blade in a direction approximately orthogonal to the locus of movement of the restrictions.
In this exposure controller, when the image pickup lens and diaphragm drive mechanism are reset, these elements are driven in interlocking relationship with each other by means of the same drive member. Furthermore, the controller makes the image pickup lens and diaphragm operate so that they may be reset and returned to initial conditions upon every shot.
Nevertheless, in the related art, since the image pickup lens and diaphragm are reset at every shot, not only is the battery consumed, but also an unreduceable time lag is experienced until the image pickup apparatus reaches a state in which the next shot can be performed. Therefore, this apparatus is not so suitable for a rapid shooting mode. Furthermore, since it is desirable to record each set of images taken in panoramic mode with uniform exposure, the above described apparatus is similarly not suitable for the panorama mode.